About this artwork
As a god of the late dry season and early rainy season (May–June), Xipe Totec (“The Flayed One”) expresses regeneration. By the time of Spanish contact in 1519, the cult of this deity was widespread throughout Mesoamerica. This figure depicts a young male wearing the skin of a sacrificed victim, a primary symbolic aspect of rituals conducted during agricultural fertility ceremonies dedicated to this deity. The lines across the chest represent stitched seams where the skin was fastened. Like living seed within a dried husk, the deity impersonator embodies the relationship between death and the renewal of life.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 136
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Department
- Arts of the Americas
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Culture
- Aztec (Mexica)
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Title
- Ritual Impersonator of the Deity Xipe Totec
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Place
- Veracruz state (Object made in)
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Date
- 1450–1500
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Medium
- Ceramic and pigment
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Dimensions
- H.: 58.4 cm (23 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Marx
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Reference Number
- 1960.905
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/12742/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.